MFS | Entertainment

A stellar couture line by Sridevi fan, Sabyasachi
A stellar couture line by Sridevi fan, Sabyasachi Mukherjee
After an endless wait, the gates finally opened to the show area that to the awe of the spectators had been transformed into a theatrical set resembling an old ancestral bungalow complete with wall papers, family portraits on the walls, candle holders on the mantlepiece, expensive china in glass shelves, crockery sets, blue pottery pieces, brass lampshades, old trunks, china wall plates, animal trophies adorning the walls, and a smattering of antique wooden furniture.

The show hadn't begun, and yet there was so much to behold, for the ramp had been converted into an artist's studio - the artist in question being grand finale designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee for the PCJ Delhi Couture Week. Simply going by the ramp arrangement one could only imagine how promising the collection would be, given the fact that Sabya is known for his creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.

Showstopper comes first: As the red spotlights dimmed and the music gained tempo, the designer walked in with his showstopper Sridevi amid thunderous applause, and posed patiently for photographs. Sridevi who has lost oodles of weight looked a stunner in a white net saree with tulle work coordinated with a blackless black blouse. She has ostensibly knocked several years off her age as she flaunted her curves, her chiselled shoulder blades and a very well toned back that would give even the most seasoned model a run for her money.

Theme: Sabyasachi's travels around the world have been culminated in his 2012 couture collection. He has brought in elements from cities that influenced him the most, such as the straightjacket discipline of New York, the classic nostalgia of the British Raj in Kolkata, the subversive decadence of Berlin, the incredible romance of Paris and the bohemian flair of Barcelona, and fused them in his designs.

Collection: Sabyasachi defined his collection as "retro glam, inspired by the 20s and 40s, and the cities I have loved travelling to." In apt justification of the theme, models swaggered into the ramp looking Plain Jane in oiled hair tied in a tight knot, sporting reading glasses, a small bindi and a blingy hair band to go with blingy shoes and purse for accessories. If the designer's intent was to evoke nostalgia for the days of yore, he more than succeeded in recreating that aura with his subtle and intricate designs.

Detailing: There were a lot of kurtas both long and short, with and without frills, net and velvet sarees, lehengas, skirts, sherwanis, high waist pants, blingy petticoats under simple net sarees with zardosi detailing. An entire range of blouses worn with the sarees were actually full sleeves with Nehru collar, and a translucent back. We loved the white embroidered tulle saree, textured silk blouse and hand block printed chintz petticoat model Noyonika Chatterjee wore. There were a few others as well such as the embroidered tulle saree in imperialist red and zardosi detailed black textured blouse, the hand embroidered bodice top with textured ghagra skirt and salmon tulle dupatta, and also the appliqued and hand embroidered body con with chintz printed churidaar and embroidered tulle dupatta. Salmon tulle found prominence in the collection in a whole range of sarees and dupattas. Elaborate, yet understated was Sabyasachi this evening.

Fabrics and colours: To put together this very global yet Indian line, the designer used Russian needlepoint, boutis from Provence, zardosi from Agra, Kantha from Bangladesh, block printing from Bengal and Rajasthan, intricately embroidered Pashmina from Kashmir, Chintz from the UK, and Toile de joy from France, together with rhinestone, baubles, bows and needle craft. The fabrics were mostly silk, Dhakai Muslin, brocades, net, velvet, and tulle.

White and black stood out in the collection, immortalised by the black and white saree partly in velvet and partly in tulle with fine zardosi detailing. A whole range of colour combinations were used such as red and white, green and red, beige and green, and red and black, with flair.

The pretty accessories for the collection were done by Sabya's own label, Sabyasachi by Sabyasachi which debuted at Sotheby's London.

Designer speak: Sabya seemed more keen to talk about his showstopper, Sridevi. "I am so glad she is making a comeback with English Vinglish," he exclaimed, adding that he had always been a big fan of hers since her 'Sadma' days, and is very proud that she could wear his creation. Speaking about the collection the actress was brief, "It is a brilliant collection, and I feel honoured."

Glitzy front row: The house was packed with buyers, guests, and designers of the likes of Poonam Bhagat, Kavita Bhartia, and Ritu Kumar who was spotted sitting next to actress Shabana Azmi. Producer Boney Kapoor too had turned up to root for his beautiful wife, Sridevi.